Dortmund Held by Union Berlin as Karetsas Suffers Late Ankle Injury
Borussia Dortmund left Berlin with a frustrating 0-0 draw against Union Berlin, and substitute Konstantinos Karetsas also suffered a late ankle injury at the Stadion An der Alten Forsterei.
The Bundesliga Matchday 6 stalemate was the first drawn meeting between the clubs. Every previous encounter had produced both a winner and at least one goal.
Quick facts
- Dortmund drew 0-0 at Union Berlin on Bundesliga Matchday 6.
- Niko Kovac made five changes after the midweek setback against Bodo/Glimt.
- Nico Schlotterbeck, Julian Ryerson, Felix Nmecha, Ethan Nwaneri and Serhou Guirassy returned to the XI.
- BVB won 56 per cent of duels but could not break Union’s defensive resistance.
- Maxi Beier and Guirassy had second-half openings, while Karetsas picked up an ankle problem.
Kovac reshuffled his side following the European disappointment against Bodo/Glimt, but Dortmund again lacked the decisive pass and finish around the opposition area.
Union made the contest physical and compact. Dortmund had more success in the duels, yet their possession and pressure did not translate into enough clear chances.
Gregor Kobel delivered a blunt verdict after the final whistle. The goalkeeper said Dortmund did not create enough problems, did not push deeply enough into Union territory and did not threaten the home goal often enough.
“That was what we were missing today,” Kobel said. He described the goalless outcome as painful and frustrating.
Waldemar Anton pointed to poor choices in the final third, but called for patience with a young squad still adapting under Kovac.
“At the moment, there are things we are not doing properly in the final third. We make the wrong decisions,” Anton said. “We need to stay calm. We are a young team, we will work through it and improve.”
The defender added that Dortmund must fight to recover momentum, insisting the missing fortune near goal has to be earned through hard work.
Dortmund now face work on their attacking sharpness in the coming days, with domestic and European fixtures approaching quickly. The immediate concern will also be Karetsas’ ankle after his late appearance ended in injury.
